Recording mechanism for coin-operated machines



NOV. 16, 1937. E RI 2,099,173

I 1 RECORDING MECHANISM FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES v Filed April 19, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. E. NORRIS Nov. 16, 1937.

RECORDING MECHANISM FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES Filed April 19, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m, m/wn M 7/////////////I//////////4 mwwvxxwn G. E. NORRIS Nov. l6, 1937.

RECORDING MECHANISM FOR GOIN'OPERATED MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet '3 Filed April 19, 1935 Nov. 16, 1937. G. E. NORRIS 2,099,173

RECORDING MECHANISM FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES I Filed April 19, 1935 5- Sheets-Sheet 4 Gator/m3 Nov. 16, 1937. G NORRls RECORDING MECHANISM FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES Filed April 19, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIIIIIIIIIIIAEW \gywamv-am Patented Nov. 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE RECORDING MECHANISM FOR COIN-OPER- ATED MACHINES 3 Claims.

This invention relates to coin-operated amusement furnishing machines, and more particularly to the type involving rotatable permutation wheels bearing game symbols on their peripheral portions and adapted, through the operation of the machine, to be presented in varying sequences to the view of the players through a restricted sight opening provided in a wall of the cabinet of the machine. Apparatus of this type has been disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 8916 filed March 1, 1935, and with respect to which the present invention constitutes a continuation-in--part.

In machines of this type, the determination of the symbol sequences, appearing on the permutable, wheels, is ordinarily merely one resulting from visual inspection, and with accompanying inaccuracies and confusion arising fromthe frail} ties of human sight perceptions. It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the present invention to provide a machine of the type indicated with improved means for producing a permanent record of the symbol sequences appearing on the permutable reels presented to the view of the players following each successive operation of the apparatus, together with means whereby the record so produced is ejected from the machine for the use and purposes of its players.

In accordance with the present invention, the record furnishing mechanism comprises a plurality of movable type bars normally maintained in inoperative positionsbut which, following the arresting of rotation of the associated permutaticn reels, may be released and brought into regulated operating positions by contactwith stop members carried by the reels themselves, associated means being provided for bringing a paper record strip into printing contact with said type bars when thus actively positioned, and for cutting the record strip into suitable lengths and delivering the same to the players of the game, the stop members on said reels being so arranged-as to limit the travel of the type bars to their active positions in accordance with the symbol sequence appearing on said reels and presented to the View of the players. For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a combined vending and amusement furnishing machine provided with the record producing mechanism constitu I ing the present invention;

internally situated reel and printing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the machine and disclosing the manually operated mechanism for imparting spinning move.- ment to the permutation reels;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the machine and disclosing the reel and printing mechanism; I i

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of the record strip and the mounting therefor and also disclosing the movable impression producing platen and the record strip severing mechanism;

'Fig."6 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken through one of the permutation reels when operatively mounted within the cabinet of the machine-and showing the arrangement of the stop lugs employed for limiting the extent of movement of the type bars;

Fig. 7 isa detail horizontal sectional view taken through the permutation reels and associated type bars;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line VIIL-VIII of Fig. 4 and disclosing more particularly the operating mechanism for the impression producing platen, the type bars beingindicated in vertical section;

Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation, partly in vertical section, of the disk and lever mechanism for controlling the operation of the cam shaft employed for controlling the printing mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal sectional view on the plane disclosed by the line XX of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail View disclosing the gearing for imparting manual rotation to the cam shaft; Fig. 12' is a detail vertical sectional view of the printing mechanism andits associated cams;

"Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12, and illustrating the operation of the cam'and lever mechanism employed for controlling the cutting 'of the record strip;

; Fig. 14 is a similar view on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 12 and disclosing the lever and cam mechanism for efiecting the operation of the impression producing platen;

Fig. 15 is a detail vertical sectional View on the line XVXV of Fig. 12 and disclosing the cam and lever mechanism for releasing the type bars;

' Fig. 16 is a similar view of the record strip advancing cam Fig. 1 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the type bars;

f Fig. 18 is a detail horizontal sectional View of a 'slightly' modified form of the disk and lever mechanism" shown in Figs, 9 and 10 wherein wall 2 of the cabinet is provided with a coin reelectrical switches are attached thereto to control the motor when it is desired to operate the printing mechanism automatically.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates the cabinet of a combined amusement furnishing and vendingmachine in which the mechanism comprising the present invention is incorporated. The front ceiving slot 3 and an arcuate slot 4, through which projects the operating handle 5 of the machine. In playing the machine, a coin is inserted in the slot 3 which results in the release of the handle 5 so that the latter may be rocked the full length of the slot 4, causing the rotation of a plurality of longitudinally spaced, vertically disposed reels 6, arranged within the cabinet of the machine for spinning rotation about an axially situated, horizontally extending shaft 1. The outer peripheral portions of the reels are provided with game symbols as indicated at 8 and which may be of any suitable order. These symbols, following the spinning of the reels, are adapted to be presented to the view of the players through a restricted sight opening 9 provided in the front wall 2 of the caldinet. Also, the operation of the handle 5 results in the discharge of confection or other merchandise from the machine. Inasmuch as the vending mechanism and the reel spinning and stopping mechanism does not enter directly into the present invention,

a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

since such mechanisms constitute the subject matter set forth in my aforesaid application.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a means for producing a printed or other permanent record of the game symbols to'the view of the players through the opening 9 when the permutable reels 3 come to rest following each given operation thereof. To this end, in a preferred embodiment of my invention, one of the side walls of the cabinet I is provided with a manually operated crank It]. The hub of the crank I0 is connected with a shaft H which, as shown in Fig. 11, is provided internally of the cabinet with a pinion [2 which is arranged to mesh with an enlarged gear l3 carried by a cam shaft M. The shaft Il may be provided with a ratchet wheel I5 with which is engaged a spring pressed pawl IS, in order that the players of the apparatus will be compelled to rotate the shaft I l in but one direction. Fixed on the shaft I4 is a cam l1 and disposed in engagement with the peripheral portion of this cam is the lower end of a substantially vertically movable rod l8, the upper end of said rod being arranged to engage a pivoted shunt member [9 adapted for the control of the passage of coins through a chute 24 arranged within the machine and in registration with the slot 3. Whenever the shaft I4 is rotated to operate the printing mechanism, the cam I! serves to elevate the rod l8, causing the shunt member l9 to rock about its pivotal mounting 2! and to be thereby moved to a po-- sition obstructing the normal passage of coins through the chute 20, and to return such coins to the players of the game. By this arrangement, whenever the printing or record producing mechanism is being operated, coins inserted in the machine cannot. reach a normal playing posi tion.

As set forth in my aforesaid application, whenever the handle 5 is fully actuated to operate the reels 6, rocking movement is imparted to a bell crank lever 22 carried by the shaft 23 of a spring to the shaft I4.

' when-released by the arm 25 of the bell crank lever 22, the arm 26 responds tothe influence of aspi ing 28 and rocks about its pivot 21 so that variable length fingers 29 provided on a bar 30, integrally formed with the arm 26, may be moved to a position lying beneath the shorter arms 3| of a plurality of pivoted detents 32. These detents, there being one for each of the reels 6, are supported for rocking movement on a shaft 33 and have the outer ends of their longer arms 34 provided with heads 35 which are adapted to engage with star-shaped wheels 36 fixed to the hubs'of the reels 6.

As set forth in my aforesaid application, when 'the arm 25 of the timing mechanism returns to thus enabling the detents to respond to the action of their individual springs 37, causing the heads 35 thereof to contact with the teeth of the star wheels 36, thereby arresting rotation of said reels and bringing the game symbols 8 thereon into aligned registration with the sight opening 9 in the front wall of the cabinet.

. The cam shaft I4 is located against rotation during spinning actuation of the reels 6 by connecting, as shown in 'Figs. 9 and 10, a link 38 pivotally with the lowerrportion of the arm 26. The link 38 is provided with elongated slots 39 through which pass headed screws 40, the latter being received within threaded sockets provided in a bar 4|. Oneof the screws 40 has its shank connected with one end of a coil spring 42,

, the opposite end of said spring being connected with a post carried by the link 38. The outer end of the bar 4| terminates in a laterally directed extension provided with an integral lug 43 whichis normally received within a recess 44 of a disk 45. The hub of this disk is provided with slots 46 for the reception of the ends of a pin 41 passing transversely through the cam shaft, and a coil spring 48 has one of its ends engaged with the disk 45 and the other secured On the opposite side of the disk 45, as regards the recess 44, the peripheral'portion of said disk is formed with a pocket 49, which possesses a width less than that of the lug 43, the said pocket being normally disposed in registration with the finger 50 provided on the outer end of the link 38 When the arm 25 is oscillated from its normal position by the operation of the timing mechanism 24 during the spinning operation of the reels, the forward movement of said arm 26 causes the lug 43 to be removed from the recess 44. Prior to thisremoval, the finger '53 enters the pocket 45 on the opposite side of the disk 45. The pocket 49, however, is somewhat elongated so that when the lug 43 is completely removed from the recess 44, the disk 45 responds to the operation of the coil spring 48 and rotates slightly, a distance limited by the length of the slots 46, so that the recess 44 will be disposed out of registration, with the lug 43. Then, when the arm 26 returns to its normal position, following the stopping of the rotation of the symbol bearing reels, the finger 50 will be withdrawn from the pocket 49, but correspondingmovement of the bar 4! will be prevented by reason of the lug 43 engaging with the peripheral portion of the disk 45 instead of the recess M, slight relative movement being permitted at this time between the bar 4| and the link 38 by virtue of the spring and slot construction 39, 40, and 42. This, therefore, enables the cam shaft to be rotated by the operation of the crank in and putting into motion the printing or recording mechanism, at the same time locking out the reel operating mechanism by reason of the closing of the coin chute 29 by the pivoted shunt member iii. The operation of the printing and recording mechanism is governed by the finishing positions of the reels 6 after they have stopped rotating. As

shown in Figs. 6 and '7, these reels are formed to include outer peripheral flanges 5| and centrally disposed webs 52. The outer surfaces of the flanges 5| are suitably provided with sets of the circumferentially spaced game symbols 8. For instance, in the reels here disclosed, each reel is provided with eleven different game symbols, one of which will be incomplete registration with the sight opening 9 after such a reel ceases rotating. In order to produce a permanent record of the symbols so aligned on all of the reels with the sight opening, the web 52 of each reel is provided with a plurality of spirally disposed and relatively spaced stop lugs 53, which are preferably integrally struck from the webs 52. Also, in suitable registration with the lugs 55, the flanges 5| of said reels are provided with circumferentially spaced openings El i through which are adapted to pass curved fingers 55 which are integrally formed with type bars 55. There is a type bar for each of said reels and the construction of these bars isbest disclosed in Fig. 17, wherein it will be noted that each bar is formed to include an elongated arm 5'! which is spaced from and substantially parallel with the finger 55, the arm 51 and the finger- 55 being connected by the body of the bar. The outer end of the elongated arm 5? of each bar is equipped with an arcuate'head 58 on the outer surface of which embossed type impressions are produced corresponding with the game symbols appearing on the particular reel with which the bar is associated. The finger 55 and the arm 51 of each bar is provided with an aperture for the reception of a journalling shaft 59 suitably supported in connection with a stationary frame bracket 60. Surrounding the shaft 59, adjacent to each of the fingers 55 are coil springs 5 l. Each of these springs has one end thereof connected with a stationary frame rod 62, and its other terminal engaged with the under edge of a complemental finger 55, the tendency of the spring 6| being to rotate said fingers so that the outer ends thereof will engage with the peripheral flanges 5| of the reels, or will pass through the openings 54 of the flanges 5| into contact with the motion limiting lugs 53 ofsaid reels.

This tendency of the springs 5|, however, is normally prevented by the provision of a bell crank lever 63, shown more particularly in Figs. 7 and 15. The lever 53 is pivotally mounted as at 64cm a stationary frame member 55 and the longer arm thereof is provided with a horizontal extension 66 which engages-with the longer arms 51 of said type bars in order to hold the latter in their restrained or inactive positions; Normally, motion of the bell crank 53 is prevented by connecting its shorter arm with a link 51 having an elongated slot 58 formed therein for the reception of the cam shaft Id. The link 5'5 is formed midway of its length with a roller 59, which is adapted to engage with the perimeter of a cam l5 fixed to the shaft is. When the cam shaft is initially rotated in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 15, the cam 'lil is disengaged from the roller 59, thereby allowing the bell' crank 53 and the type bars to rock about the axis of the shaft 59 to assume their active positions. Following a complete rotationof the cam shaft, the roller 69 is again engaged by the extended portions of the cam 15 and the bell crank 85 rocked to return the type bars to their inactive positions in which the fingers 55 thereof are spaced from. thereel 6, as disclosed in Fig. 6.

By this arrangement, when the cam shaft M is actuated, each of the type bars will be oscillated about its axis a distance regulated by the contacting of it's curved finger 55 either with the peripheral portions of the reels 5 or the stop lugs 53 carried by the webs 52 of said reels. A predetermined relationship exists between the game symbols appearing on the peripheral portions of reels, the relative spacing of the lugs 53 and the position of the type embossments on the arcuate heads 58 of said type bars so that for each reel, the game symbol appearing in registration with the sight opening 9 will effect a predetermined disposition of the lugs 53 so that the heads 58 of the type bars will be brought to a printing position in which the embossment corresponding to the displayed symbol will be disposed in a printing position.

Carried by the reel supporting frame bracket 55 is a spool of strip paper H and the free end of this paper, strip is guided between rotatably supported feeding rolls I2, as shown. in Fig. 5, the free end of the paper strip being then trained through a guide 13 toward a discharge slot i4 formed in the front wall of the cabinet l.

Following the positioning of the type bars in their printing or active positions, an impression is produced on the paper strip by the provision of a vertically movable platen 15, which is held in connection with a frame it supported by a coil spring ll, so that the lower surfaces of the resilient platen will be spaced from the paper strip. To move the platen downwardly to produce the impressions desired on the paper strip, the shaft id is provided with a second cam 18, as shown in Fig. 14. This cam has a short finger is which is adapted to engage with a rounded enlargement 85 provided on a lever 8| which is pivotally Y mounted as at 82 in connection with a shaft 83 carried by the frame 60. The outer end of the lever 8| is pivotally connected as at 8% with a vertically disposed link 85 which carries at its upper end the platen 15. By virtue of the relative positions of the cams H3 and is, it will be seen that the cam 10 first operates to release the type bars so that they may assume their active positions in desired registration with the plane of the platen and after the type bars have been so positioned, the cam 18 functions to move the lever 8| downwardly, against the resistance of the spring ll, so that the platen 15 will be forced into engagement with the paper strip and the latter in turn forced into printing engagement with the type embossments on the heads 58 of the type bars. When inactively positioned, as shown in Fig.4, the heads 58 of said type bars lie within a casing extension 85 formed in connection with the front wall 2 of the cabinet, and

within this extension there may be arranged an inking roller 87 by which ink may be supplied to the type embossments.

Following the printing operation, the paper strip is then ejected from the machine through the discharge slot 14 by providing the upper of the feeding rolls I2 with a ratchet wheel 88. On the shaft 89 of this ratchet wheel, there is pivot ally connected an arm 99, which carries a springpressed pawl 9| arranged to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 88 so that when said arm 90 is oscillated in an upward direction, rotary motion will be imparted to the feeding rolls to effect the advancement of the printed paper strip outwardly through the slot 14 where it may rest upon a shelf 92, formed in connection with the casing extension 96. The rocking of the arm 90 is effected by means of a link 93 which is pivotally connected at its upper end with the arm 90 and, as shown, more particularly in Fig. 16, has its lower end formed with an elongated slot 94 for the reception of a guide stud 95. The bottom of the link 93 terminates in a foot 98 which is adapted for cooperation with a paper advancing cam 9'! fixed to the shaft I4. The position of the cam on the shaft I4 with regard to the platen actuating cam 18 is such that after the platen has been operated to produce an impression, the cam 9'! will engage with the foot of the link 93 to cause the elevation of the latter against spring resistance and to thereby rotate the feeding rolls I2, causing the movement of the printed paper to a position accessible to the players of the game and at the same time to present a fresh portion of the paper strip to the platen for subsequent printing or recording operations. a

In order to sever the printed portion of the paper strip, the shaft I4 is provided, as shown in Fig. 13, with a cutter operating cam 98 which is disposed for engagement with the upper edge of a lever 99 pivotally carried by the shaft 83. The outer end of the lever 99 is received within a slot I90 formed in the lower end of a vertically extending bar IN. .The upper endof this bar, as indicated in Fig. 5, is connected with and suspended from the coil spring I 02. Also, the upper end of the lever 99 carries a shearing or cutting blade I93 which is maintained in an elevated position at the time of the operation of the feeding rolls, but following the termination of such operation, the cam 98 willagain re'engage the lever 99 to lower the bar I90 so that the cutting blade I93 will operate to sever the paper strip, leaving the printed outer portion thereof on the shelf 92 from which it may be removed by the game players. Normally, when the printing mechanism is not being operated, the discharge slot I4 is closed by the blade I93. Upon the completion of the severing operation, the recess 44 in the locking disk 45 will have been revolved so that it will again register with the lug 43, and

the latter will re-enter the recess 44' under the influence of the spring 42, thereby locking the cam shaft against further rotation until an additional coin has been placed into the machine.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides simple, readily and positively operated mechanism by which there may be printed on a paper strip an accurate record disclosing the results of permutable members bearing game spmbols. The mechanism is of particular advantage in a machine of the character set forth in that it enables results to be positively and accurately determined and confusion, fraud or mistakes avoided as a result of mere visual determinationof the variable game symbol sequences. It will of course be appreciated that the mechanism is subject to considerable variation and modification without departing from the essential features thereof.

For instance, the cam shaft may be driven, as shown in Fig. 18, by an electrical motor I04, in

. lieu of being hand operated as shown in the preferred form of the invention. The controlling circuit of the motor I04 may include a pair of switches I05 and I96,'the movable contact I01 of the switch I05 being carried by the bar M and the movable contact I08 of the other switch is carried by the link 38a. The link and bar operate exactly as previously described. When the reel spinning mechanism is being operated, the arm 26 moves forward. 'This forward motion causes contact I01 to engage with its complemental contact but current flow to the motor I94 is interrupted because contact I08 has been moved away from its complemental contact. When the reels have stopped spinning and the arm 26 has returned to its normal position, the switch I09 will be closed and as'switch I05 will remain closed because the recess 44 will have moved out of registration with the lug 43, the circuit to the motor is completed. The rotation of the motor will also rotate the cam shaft and operate the printing mechanism. When the cam shaft has'made one complete revolution, the recess 44 will again register with the lug 43 and the spring 42 will move the bar 4| to cause the opening of switch I95 to stop the motor.

If, after the reel spinning mechanism has been operated and the printing mechanism hasv been unlocked by this operation, the latter mechanism is not operated but a coin is inserted and the operating handle drawn down, the printing mechanism is again locked by the additional lock I99 which coacts with the operating handle and a second cam surface IIOformed on the cam IT. The locking finger I09 is pivoted at its lower end and is urged toward the cam H9 by spring pressure. A second pivoted'member III engages the upper end of the lock finger I09 and this second member III is in turn engaged by an extension on the lower end ofthe operating handle 5.

When the operating handle is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, the lock I09 is inoperative but as soon as the handle 5 is moved downward, the spring moves the finger I09 toward the cam H9 until a projection on the former enters a notch in the edge of the latter member and the shaft I4 is then looked against rotation.

This lock operates every time the operating handle is moved to spin the reels. When the handle 5 is returned to its normal position, the extension on the lower end thereof engages the member II I causing it to swing and move the lock I99 out of engagement with the cam IIO. This lock, to-

' gether with the locks previously described, positively prevent the reel spinning mechanism from in operation or vice'versa.

What is claimed is:

1. In mechanism of the character described, .a plurality of freely and independently'rotatable reels, each of said reels being formed to include a hub, an outer peripheral flange and a connecting web uniting the hub with the flange, laterally extending, relativelyspaced and spirally disposed stop lugs projecting from the sides of said webs, a plurality of type bars movably supported beyond the confines of said reels, .and means operative only when 'said'reels are stationary to adbeing operated when the printing mechanism is Vance said type bars from. the outer circumference of said reels into engagement with certain of said stop lugs to regulate the printing positions of said type bars. I

2. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of rotatably supported reels, each of said reels comprising a hub, an outer circumferential flange and a web connecting the hub with the flange, laterally projecting, relatively spaced, spirally disposed stop lugs projecting from the sides of said webs, said flanges being formed with circumferential openings complementary to said lugs, a plurality of pivotally supported type bars mounted within said cabinet and normally disposed beyond the confines of said reels, andmeans for rocking said type bars to cause said bars to pass through certain of the flange openings in said reels and into motion arresting contact with complementary lugs whereby to determine the printing positions of said type bars.

3. Recording mechanism for amusement machines comprising a support, a plurality of independently rotatable reels provided on said support, spirally arranged stop members provided on each of said reels, type-supporting bars pivotally positioned adjacent one another in spaced relation from said reels, finger members formed with said type bars in registration with said reels, resilient means for moving said fingers into engagement with certain of said stop members to place a portion of each type bar in printing position, a platen arranged adjacent said type bars at the printing position, means for supporting a paper strip between said platen and said type bars, said platen being capable of movement toward said bars to press said paper strip into engagement therewith, shearing means positioned adjacent said platen to receive and. sever the paper strip, means for moving said paper strip, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support, cam means rotatable with said shaft, and motion transmitting connections between said cam means and said platen, said shearing means, and said paper moving means whereby rotation on the part of said shaft will cause the operation of these elements.

GEORGE E. NORRIS. 

